Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-12-02
The MERRY WAR.
The Question Of Precedence Between
the Senate and Cabinet Still
Unsettled.
What Leading Ladies' Think About the Sit
uation-sdventures of Cabinet Ladies
IN Returning Calls.


war promises to break out again in Wash
ington society this winter. The question
as to whether the ladies of the Cabinet or
the wives of the Senators should make
the first call upon each other, is yet I'M
settled, and Mrs. Senator Cockrell tells
me that the matter has been submitted to
Secretary of State Bsysrd.
From the beginning of the government
the United States Senators have appsr-
entity been falling in the social scale.
During the earlier administrations, 6
Senator, as the representative Of SOW
ereign state, was considered superior to
the lodges Of the Supreme court. Now,
it is Bconceded that the Senator's wives
should make the first call upon the wives
Of the justices, AID last year, when the
presidential succession was changed by
Senator Hoar's bill, making the members
of the Cabinet rather than
the President pro TEN Of the
Senate, the heirs to thu throne, it was
the question as to whether this action did
not raise the ladies of the Cabinet to q
higher plane than those of the Senate.
The matter was then discussed in 2
friendly way, AMI there is nothing now
but friendly feeling about it. The
wives of two ex-secretaries, Mrs. Senator
Teller and Mrs. Senator Sherman, thought
the ladies of the Senate should make the
J first call, Mrs. Voorhees, thought the idea
Of the Cabinet having the precedence
over the Senate absurd, and Mrs. Nc
Pherson and Mrs. Eustis gave q tacit
scquiescenCe to the new rule by calling
upon the Cabinet ladies'.
| In the meantime, as fsr as I can learn,
| the ladies of the Cabinet sre willing to
give the precedence to the Senate, as it
has been in the past. Mrs. Whitney in
tends TO call on the wives of the Sen
ators, and Mrs. Falrchild made number
of first calls upon Senator's wives at the
close of the last session. Mrs. Ingalls, is
rather stickler for the rights Of the Sen
ate, and she thinks that the Senator's, as
representatives of the sovereign states,
should naturally rank above the Cabinet
ministers, who are, in one sense, the
clerks OF the President. Mrs. Ingalls, is
not stickler about calling, but she says
the Cabinet has called upon the Senators
from the time when the memory of man
runneth not to the contrary, and she sees
no reason why this new law should
change it.
The question, however, ought to be
definitely settled, for it is the cause of
great confusion at many Washington din
ners and receptions. AS Mrs. Whitney
saws, we should have some fixed rules Of
etiquette, so that the diplomats Will I'M
derstand Just what rank each class OF the
court circle holds. People outside of
| Washington cannot appreciate how i'm
portapG such matters are regar ed in dip
lomatic circles, snd etiquette questions
have been discussed as far back as the days
of President Washington. John Quincy
Adams, when he was Secretary OF State,
threw Washington society in q turmoil,
by refusing to call upon the senators
first, and this etiquette question was then
made the special subject Of Cabinet
meeting, at which President Monroe
stated that the senators had complained
that the Secretary refuses to pay them the
first visit. President Monroe decided in
favor of the Senste, ana l understand
that President Cleveland and Secretary
Bayard are inclined in the same direction.
The question as to Senator's repre-
senting sovereign state is far more i'm
portant, it seems to many, than Mrs.
Cockrell's theory, that the Cabinet, IS
being heirs to the Presidential throne, are
of higher rank than the Senators. They
are, in this respect, cO-ordinant with the
Chief Justice or the President. if, indeed,
they are not above the President. Mrs.
Cockrell tells, however, that she thinks
the matter ought to be settled, and that
she has been intending to write Secretary
Bayard concerning it. Said she:
"It will be discussed, and it ought to
be settled. There are arguments in favor
of both sides OF the question. While l
would not sbate one jot of our Senatorial
dignity, think that the new law gives
the Cabinet the precedence. It affects,
also. it seems to NE, the Speaker, and
puts him below the Cabinet. The rule is
now that the President, Vice-President,
Secretary of State and other members Of
the Cabinet are in the line Of succession.
The order was, before this bill, that the
President pro tenn OF the Senate and the
Speaker of the House, followed the Pres
ident and Vice-Presldent. 1t seems to
me that & settlement ought to be made,
and that Secretary Bayard ought to pub
lish code Of etiquette in regard to it.
One of the ladies of the Cabinet being
asked concerning the matter, said:
81 always call upon the Senators first,
and never expect them to give me the
first call The Cabinet ministers make
the first call upon the Senators, and do
not see how the wives of the Ministers
can do otherwise than call upon the Sena
tors wives. It is the rank OF the men
that makes the rank of the women, and
even as our husbands Go, so do we. l
don't believe there is so much discussion
of the matter as is supposed. The whole
is tempest in tea pot, stirred up with
q newspaper spoon. 1t seems to me,
however, that the change in the Presi-
Dental succession ought not to affect
matters of etiquette. Secretary Bayard
is still Secretary Of State, and not Vice
president, and until he becomes SO he is
entitled to no increase in social rank"
A change was made last year in the re-
turning of calls, in which the Cabinet
ladies returned many Of their calls by
cards. No personal visit was made what
ever, but 8 coloreG servant was sent about
with pouch, delivering cards st the Yari-
Gus places. The rule is that the Cabinet
lady must return every call made upon
her, and that within short time after she
receives the call.
TIE wife of Tn ex-Secretary OF the